Blog: January 2022 — December 2022

Friends, as we step into 2023, let's encourage each other to draw near to the Lord day by day. God speaks through his inspired Scriptures, and we respond in prayers of thanks, confession, lament, praise, and trust:  God's Word & Prayer.  It's the most vital, life-sustaining conversation that exists.  You need this--all believers need to be in daily communication with the Lord.  Every meaningful relationship requires consistent communication--including your relationship with the Lord God. If you don't have a plan in place yet, consider ...

Seth traveled with two men and one well-loaded donkey as he set out, once again, to sell the fabrics he had woven.  They followed the old road down from Jerusalem through Bethany, and then northeast toward Jericho and the Jordan River where they planned to meet a caravan headed for Damascus.  The trail was rugged as it wound downward through jagged rock formations along steep slopes—often jutting out by a cliff.  Seth had an adventurous spirit, and so for the most part he enjoyed the frequent trek through these isolated mountain corridors.  ...

We typically speak of Christmas as a time to recall the coming of the Son of God into this world.  And that it is:  Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matt. 1:23); he became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).  “Advent” means appearing, coming:  Christ has come. But think with me how Christmas is also a time to consider the going of the Son of God—his departure from glory, setting aside all splendor and majesty, humbling himself as he left his throne. I often imagine what the incarnation of God “looked like” to the angels—what they witnessed on ...

Trevin Wax is the author of The Thrill of Orthodoxy:  Rediscovering the Adventure of Christian Faith (2022).  The book is about what we believe and how to live it out.  I recommend it highly. Pause and stand in awe at the glories of the gospel! (p. 21).  If the thrill of God’s epic good news fades for you, beware of drifting in your beliefs due to powerful currents in our culture.  And remem­ber:  the gospel is the most thrilling when you share it (p. 177). The Apostles were unafraid to draw lines between those in the faith and others ...

I’m sure you’ve been there: That moment of decision when you weigh the risk versus the reward or the cost versus the benefit to determine what you will do. These moments may come in regard to something simple like whether to eat one more helping of mashed potatoes, if it is worth it to take a detour to try and avoid traffic on your way to the grocery store, or if it is the right time to buy that new pair of shoes. We may also face moments of discernment on much more significant questions: Do you take the new job opportunity that would ...

The great Christmas passion of the angels that night outside of Bethlehem was this:  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! (Luke 2:14).  They rejoiced over two wonders:  the glory of God, and peace on earth. But as soon as we hear their song, questions arise:  1) Are we actually moved to applaud God’s glory?  2) Can we even imagine “peace” in our war-torn, terror-ridden, greed-driven, divided world, and do we really believe God for the peace he announces? One way to prime the pump of your ...

God’s Word is living, active, sharp, powerful, and profitable. (Heb. 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:16-17) The Bible indicates that by the power of the Holy Spirit, God’s words teach, rebuke, correct, and train us so that we are fully put together for the work that God has created us for. The Bible is full of stories, illustrations, commands, warnings, and heart-provoking questions that provide for us everything we need. Yet, throughout our lives, we intentionally disregard God’s words for us. We are guilty of the same thing that Jeremiah 29:19 ...

Join Us for Christmas! Christmas Eve Candlelight Services:  Saturday, December 24, at 3:30 and 5:00 p.m.  “We have come to worship Him!” These gatherings will feature Christmas carols, Scripture readings, and a brief message of hope centered on Jesus Christ, “God with us.”  Childcare for ages 3 and under will be available at the 3:30 service. Christmas Morning Worship:  Sunday, December 25—one service at 11:00 a.m., a family-oriented, 50-minute gathering of praise and celebration.  (Note:  no childcare; no Sunday School).   Other ...

From the garden of Eden to the great restoration of the last days, men and women have attempted to hide themselves from God, seeking safety and avoidance of the consequences of sin due to those who think, speak, and act contrary to God’s good design. We first find this in the garden following the initial sin of Adam and Eve. After seeking their own pleasure, satisfaction, and authority, they felt the onset of conviction over their sin. Their solution to this sense of wrongdoing was to hide from the One who made them, loved them, and had ...

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, and Christmas is not far off.  So be warned:  don’t let the flurry of the season gobble you up; make time to be still to let the splendor of Advent sink in. That the Son of God should enter into human life is staggering.  Think of it:  the Creator steps into the realm he created!  What’s more, the incarnation was the vanguard of heaven’s search and rescue operation:  Jesus came “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).  “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his ...

Bible Memory:  Gospel of Matthew Goshen Baptist Church -- 2022-2023 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). As we walk with Jesus together during the sermon series on the Gospel according to Matthew, you are encouraged and challenged to memorize a verse from each chapter as the series unfolds: “[Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?  For we saw his ...

Throughout 2 Chronicles 36, it is easy to see that God is the one who raises up and removes kings and rulers and all who are in authority. But this reality can sometimes shake us in profound ways. It may cause us to ask why. This question is fair considering that we often see rulers who don’t love God making decisions that display their lack of belief in God, and it is hard to imagine that God is the One who placed them in leadership. Why would God allow bad leaders to be in charge? This is a tough question, but Scripture speaks to it in ...

The Bible’s call to gratitude is overwhelmingly vertical:  we’re charged and moved to thank GOD.  Of course, it’s right and good to thank to each other; gratitude toward family and friends and our fellow church members is a vital ingred­i­ent in spiritually maturing relation­ships.  But thanks to God is primary!  Consider: I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart… (Ps 9:1). I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations (Ps 57:9—thanks as witness). I give thanks to you, O ...

Our hyper-vigilant culture is full of warnings: warnings of what will happen if you take certain medicines, warnings not to use forbidden words in particular places, authoritative warnings against actions deemed inappropriate or illegal, and many more. Though at times these warnings may feel harsh, unnecessary, or far too limiting, they exist to guide people to right decisions that are often best for them and the people around them. The same is true with the warnings we find in the Bible, both those directed toward people in a particular ...

Our Fall Focus on Missions these last two weeks featured an emphasis on the heart of God for the lost:  "God so loved the world..." (John 3:16).  The Lord holds open the doors, and he reaches out to invite any and all to turn to him in faith and be saved (2 Peter 3:8-9). On October 30, Pastor Josh Crans took us to Matthew 9:35-38, helping us to see the compassion of Jesus as he looked out upon a lost world--so many people like sheep without a shepherd, harrassed and helpless.  Do we see our neighbors near and far in this same way?  You can ...

The impression I’ve gotten from the news this week is that the only thing going on in the universe is the USA Election.  So to help us see reality more clearly, let’s pause and look beyond our borders, and follow the trail of Bible texts showing God’s heart for all nations—for all tribes and languages and ethnic groups everywhere.  As you read, pray that God will give you (and us) his vision for the world: God says to Abraham: “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). *** A purpose for the crossing of the Red ...

If we spend time contemplating what it means to belong to Jesus, the reality is a mystery. How can we who are sinners be forgiven and redeemed? The more we recognize the depth and darkness of our own sin, the greater we understand the magnitude of God’s gift to us: Through His Son, He reached down to display His great love and mercy. Because of Jesus’ wounds, we can have full and forever forgiveness. The Book of Jonah demonstrates this powerful truth on at least two occasions. One is highlighted in Jonah’s prayer in the midst of his ...

A new ESPN commercial has the tag line, “There’s No Place Like Sports:  A Seat for Everyone.”  You see scene after scene of all kinds of different people connecting through sports:  fans in the stands all dressed in the team colors, fervor flowing from crowd to athlete and athlete to crowd, and a widely diverse array of folks all on the same page for the same cause—people whose paths in life might otherwise never cross.  But sports unites them. They say, “Where else do we all dream the same dream?”  “Where else is there a seat for ...

The popularity of true crime shows reveals something interesting about people. Whether it be a television show, a streaming series, or a podcast, audiences love a good thrilling episode that takes you on a journey from the mind-captivating details of a crime, through the exploration of the evidence, to the identification of a suspect, and concluding with the resolution of who did it, how they did it, and whether or not they are found guilty. One shared characteristic between each story is this: there is no case if there is no evidence....

Who has first place in your heart?  What is priority one in your life?  Jesus commands us to “Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteous­ness” (Matthew 6:33).  By contrast, Revelation 2:4 paints the sad picture of a church that had lost its first love.  Secondary matters can be important, of course—such as working to put food on the table and clothes on our backs.  But they come second.  And when we treat secondary issues like primary concerns, it’s a catastrophe. Jesus teaches that making material security our driving ambition reveals ...